"speculating as to who would turn on the Blackpool Illuminations that year. The Blackpool Illuminations have been an annual attraction since 1879, and the switch on ceremony was a prestigious event. Up until that time celebrities such as Prince George the Duke of Kent, George Formby, Jacob Malik (Soviet Ambassador), John H Whiting (U.S Ambassador), Valerie Hobson and Dame Anna Neagle had all turned on Blackpool's illuminations. Dixon soon found out that it was himself who was to turn on the illuminations that year, and the event was televised to a Europe-wide audience. In December 1956 a fire, which started"
"using new technology. Then in 2004 wind turbines at the Solarium on New South Promenade contributed to powering the Illuminations for the first time. The Illuminations now only use green electricity from renewable resources, comprising wind power, small-scale hydropower and Biogas. The aim was for the display to be carbon neutral by 2010. In January 2008 Blackpool Council announced plans to start a Friends of the Illuminations stating that they saw the future of the Illuminations as being more interactive, and that ""the group would help us shape the future of one of the country's best, free attractions."" and would"
"when they were described as 'Artificial sunshine', and consisted of just eight carbon arc lamps which bathed the Promenade. The original event preceded Thomas Edison's patent of the electric light bulb by twelve months. The first display similar to the modern-day displays was held in May 1912 to mark the first British Royal family visit to Blackpool when Princess Louise opened a new section of the Promenade, Princess Parade. The Promenade was decorated with what was described as ""festoons of garland lamps"" using about 10,000 light bulbs. The local Chamber of trade as well as other local businesses requested Blackpool"
"parts of the promenade were wired. The lighting and its accompanying pageants reinforced Blackpool's status as the North of England's most prominent holiday resort, and its specifically working-class character. It was the forerunner of the present-day Blackpool Illuminations. In 1885 one of the world's first electric tramways was laid down as a conduit line running from Cocker Street to Dean Street on the Promenade. The line was operated by the Blackpool Electric Tramway Company until 1892 when their lease expired and Blackpool Corporation took over running the line. A further line was added in 1895 from Manchester Square along Lytham"
"the illuminated part of the Promenade during the Illuminations. A campaign by the local newspaper, the Blackpool Gazette in 2006 to get one of the Illuminated trams, Western Train, back on track, resulted in a £278,000 Heritage Lottery Fund grant to restore the tramcar which first ran in 1962. It was withdrawn from service in 1999 and had stood derelict at the Rigby Road depot. The tramcar is due to return during the Illuminations Switch-On in 2008. In January 2008 it was revealed that another iconic illuminated tram, the Rocket tram, which had been in service between 1961 and 1999"
"Illuminations (festival) Illuminations are secular Autumn festivals of electric light held in several English cities, towns and villages, in particular: Blackpool Illuminations run for 66 days each year. They switch on in late August with a star-studded 'Switch On' show and run to early November. The 2006 Switch On was carried out by Dale Winton and the crowd were entertained by a host of acts including Peter Kay. David Tennant, a previous Doctor Who and past star of the Blackpool (television) television series, switched on the Lights in 2007. New for 2007 are a section outside the Tower called DecoDance,"
"Britain's first all-electric theatres. The first decade of the new century saw the development of the Promenade as we know it today, and further development southwards beyond South Shore towards Harrowside and Squires Gate. The Pleasure Beach was first established about this time. Seasonal static illuminations were first set up in 1912, although due to World War I and its aftermath they only enjoyed two seasons until they were re-introduced in 1925. The illuminations extended the holiday season into September and early October. The inter-war period saw Blackpool attain pre-eminence as a holiday destination. By 1920, Blackpool claimed around eight"
"Road is at the Northern end of the world-famous Blackpool Illuminations. The area at Bispham Cliffs contains the famous tableaux displays, where there is a pathway for holidaymakers and locals to view the tableaux close up. The first animated tableaux were erected in 1932 running along the cliffs from North Shore to Bispham, and the Illuminations were extended to its current length running from Starr Gate to Red Bank Road at Bispham. Some of the tableaux have sound and visual content that can only be viewed and heard by walking by them. The tableaux also includes mixed media in the"
"illuminations in here"". Each year the opening night of the Illuminations, The Big Switch On, held in a specially erected arena with a celebrity pulling a switch to turn on the six miles of lights. The first switch on ceremony was held in 1934 when Lord Derby flicked the switch to turn on the Illuminations. In 1993 BBC Radio 1 first broadcast the switch on ceremony live when Status Quo were the guest celebrities, before in 1997 BBC Radio 2 started to cover it which continued until 2010, when GMG Radio, under its Real Radio and Smooth Radio brands took"
"and weekends from January to December, as well as during the Blackpool Illuminations. Excluding museums, it is one of only a few tramways in the world to still use double-deck trams, others including the Hong Kong Tramways and the Alexandria Tram in Egypt. The first part opened on 29 September 1885, a conduit line from Cocker Street to Dean Street on Blackpool Promenade. It was one of the first practical electric tramways in the world, just six years after Werner von Siemens first demonstrated electric traction. The inauguration was presided over by Holroyd Smith, the inventor of the system and"
"One programme, ""Britain’s Toughest Jobs"". Blackpool is a popular seaside resort, and the beach-front tower is still a major attraction. It is lit during the annual Illuminations, when the town and seafront are decorated with colourful illuminated displays for along the promenade. Blackpool Tower Blackpool Tower is a tourist attraction in Blackpool, Lancashire, England, which was opened to the public on 14 May 1894. Inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris, it is tall and is the 120th tallest freestanding tower in the world. Blackpool Tower is also the common name for Tower buildings, an entertainment complex in a red-brick"
"new attractions, leading to more visitors and a rapid cycle of growth throughout the 1850s and 1860s. In 1879, large parts of the promenade at Blackpool were wired. The lighting and its accompanying pageants reinforced Blackpool's status as the North of England's most prominent holiday resort, and its specifically working class character. It was the forerunner of the present-day Blackpool Illuminations. By the 1890s, the town had a population of 35,000, and could accommodate 250,000 holidaymakers. The number of annual visitors, many staying for a week, was estimated at three million. In the final decade of the 19th century, electric"
"Blackpool Illuminations in a special ceremony. On 21 November 2011, the first ""Celebrity Juice"" DVD was released, entitled ""Celebrity Juice: Too Hot for TV"". During the year, Lemon also promoted Tacheback, a campaign to raise awareness of male cancer. In Spring 2012, Lemon starred in an episode of ""Mad Mad World"". The seventh series of ""Celebrity Juice"" began on 9 February 2012, featuring five special episodes: the Hunks special, Girls on Top special, ""Coronation Street"" vs. ""EastEnders"" special, an Irish special and a Pop Music special. Thus far, the seventh series has received some of ITV2's highest ratings ever. On"
"Blackpool Dance Festival since its inception in 1920, and the World Matchplay darts tournament since 1994. The Winter Gardens Company bought the site in 1875 for £28,000. The Winter Gardens was built on the six-acre Bank Hey Estate and officially opened on 11 July 1878. The original intention was ""to place on the land a concert room, promenades, conservatories and other accessories calculated to convert the estate into a pleasant lounge, especially desirous during inclement days."" The Vestibule, Floral Hall, Ambulatory and Pavilion Theatre were all built in the 1870s and the Opera House Theatre originally opened in 1889. The"
"Bank Road at Bispham. The Illuminations were ready to shine in 1939 but the outbreak of the Second World War again interrupted the annual display and post war austerity meant the lights were not switched on again until 1949. Every year there is also the Festival of Light which features interactive installations and is described as being ""a contemporary look at the concept of light and art working together to create entertainment"". The Illuminations have been used in modern culture in households around the United Kingdom, mainly with people quoting the following saying: ""Turn the lights off, it's like Blackpool"
"destinations for the Bass Excursions, when fifteen trains would take 8-9000 employees of Bass's Burton brewery on an annual trip to the seaside. The town was granted a Charter of Incorporation as a municipal borough in 1876. W.H. Cocker, son of Dr John Cocker, and therefore grandson of Henry Banks, was its first mayor. The town would become a county borough in 1904. Much of Blackpool's growth and character from the 1870s on was predicated on the town's pioneering use of electrical power. In 1879, it became the first municipality in the world to have electric street lighting, as large"
"Illuminations, Michael Wilcock revealed new plans for the future of the Illuminations. These include, Each year in conjunction with the Illuminations the Blackpool Festival of Light, a fusion of art and light events and installations, is staged. In 2007 the Festival started on 31 August with various lighting displays throughout the town with displays by artists and also Blackpool and The Fylde College. These included a mixed media display entitled ""Donkey Fest"" on the cliffs at North Shore, ""Water is Everywhere"" by Creatmosphere at the Water Tower in North Shore which was an architectural light projection depicting moving water reflections,"
"Portal video screen. In January 2008 new plans were revealed to erect two new all year round, triumphal arches at either end of the Illuminations, ""selling the Blackpool message"". Blackpool tramway runs along the length of the sea front at Bispham. In 1920 Blackpool Corporation took over the ""Blackpool & Fleetwood Tramroad Company"" gaining a further eight miles (13 km) of track, and also three further depots including the Bispham Tram Depot on Red Bank Road, until it closed in 1966. Built in 1898, Bispham Tram Depot had room to house 36 trams on six tracks, after being extended in"
"hosts, most notably standing in for Graham Norton during the summers of 2017 and 2018. The programme aired on Saturday evenings between 6pm and 8pm, and contained the following features, although not every segment was present in every episode. The show ran for two hours, with the second hour presented under the banner Party Tunes, where listeners could place requests for classic party songs to be played. On 5 September 2009, the programme was broadcast live from aboard a Blackpool tram as part of Radio 2's 'Live in Blackpool' series. Carr had turned on the famous Blackpool Illuminations the previous"
"lamp, the first ‘catoptric’ mirrored reflector in 1777, and Fresnel’s ‘dioptric’ lens system in 1823. The Nore lightship was established as the world's first floating light in 1732. In 1836, Trinity House accepted powers to levy out the last private lighthouse owners and began refurbishing and upgrading its lighthouse estate. In 1803, the Corporation established the Blackwall Depot as a buoy workshop, and six district depots were later established at Harwich, Great Yarmouth, East Cowes, Penzance, Holyhead and Swansea. In December 2002, Trinity House announced that the Great Yarmouth, Penzance and East Cowes depots would close. Today, Trinity House's operational"
"Their first major commission came in 1871 for Cambridge Hall, Southport. Later works included the Ulster Reform Club in Belfast, and extensive temporary structures to house the Royal Jubilee Exhibition in Manchester in 1887/1888. After this they had their most notable commission, the design of Blackpool Tower. Both senior partners died before this could be completed, and the work was continued by Frank Maxwell. The commercial success of Blackpool Tower led to a commission to design the even larger New Brighton Tower. The practice continued to design notable buildings into the 20th century. James Maxwell was born on 14 June"
"Blackpool Tower Blackpool Tower is a tourist attraction in Blackpool, Lancashire, England, which was opened to the public on 14 May 1894. Inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris, it is tall and is the 120th tallest freestanding tower in the world. Blackpool Tower is also the common name for Tower buildings, an entertainment complex in a red-brick three-storey block comprising the tower, the ground floor aquarium and cafeteria, Tower Circus, the Tower Ballroom and roof gardens that was designated a Grade I listed building in 1973. The Blackpool Tower Company was founded by London-based Standard Contract & Debenture Corporation"
"autumn, in the 1960s and 1970s, the lights were purchased secondhand from Blackpool Illuminations, but over the years they were increasingly made ""in house"" and now all are. The Illuminations had up to sixty thousand bulbs and took year-round planning. Although the event had attracted an estimated 250,000 people in 1995, lack of growth beyond this figure has raised the prospect of major redevelopment as the light shows have been exactly the same for a number of years. In February 2009, Walsall council announced that the Illuminations would not take place in 2009, 2010 and 2011. In January 2010, it"
"on 1 July 1929. It features an Entablature and has a copper roof. The nearby steps are intended to seat an audience of 2,500 people. Near the lake, there is ""trim trail"" facility which provides outdoor exercise equipment. In 1927, the lake was covered by of ice which the council embraced and lit the area for late night ice-skating. Mawson proposed a war memorial for the park which led to a competition by the Blackpool Corporation offering a prize of 100 guineas. The winning design was from Lionel Budden of a tall clock tower. The name was given as dedication"
"these were designed by Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen additionally new Doctor Who illuminations have been erected outside the Dr Who exhibition. At six miles (9.65 kilometres) long and using over one million bulbs, the Blackpool Illuminations are an awesome spectacle. The Blackpool Illuminations consist of a wide variety of light displays: lasers, neon, light bulbs, fibre optics, searchlights and floodlighting. In 2006, there were more than 500 scenic designs and features. There are set pieces made out of wood studded with light bulbs; the characters and objects portrayed seem to “move” by way of winking lights. Three-dimensional illuminated scenes are also popular."
"there was soon a demand for dynamos, from the Manchester Edison Company and from Trafalgar Colliery in the Forest of Dean, for electric lighting in the mine. (This is thought to be the first time electric lighting was used underground.) Elwell-Parker dynamos supplied lighting in industrial works, and equipment was supplied for a tramway in Blackpool in 1885, the first electric tramway in the country. A prototype battery-powered tram was tested on the tramway in Birmingham. Several prototype electric cars were built. Between 1884 and 1887, further patents were taken out by Parker and Elwell for electrical equipment. In 1887"
"of the tower. Then, with his goggles he is wearing, makes the tower blast off like a rocket. The film also shows the history of the tower. The film is accompanied by the song ""All the Lovers"" by Kylie Minogue, a song commonly used to promote Blackpool. The visitors then go into the refurbished waiting area, where memorabilia and newspaper pages about Blackpool Tower are on display, before being taken to the Eye itself. There are four levels in the Blackpool Tower Eye: The original ballroom, the Tower Pavilion, opened in August 1894. It was smaller than the present ballroom"
"Blackpool Tramway runs along the entire length of the Illuminations and there are over one million lamps in the display. In 2007 the Egyptian tableau which includes Egyptian sarcophagus, which eerily opens to reveal a mummified secret, returned after an overhaul. Also at Bispham on the clifftop was a new BBC Portal video screen. Also in 2007 a new ""Doctor Who"" display appeared with monsters from the last three series of the show. In January 2008, it was stated that this section had been the most successful feature ever built in the Illuminations. And at Gynn Square on Gynn Island,"
"and in 1846 the Corporation of Trinity House instructed the harbour authority to make necessary provision. A lighthouse was promptly built in sandstone, a tapering cylindrical tower high. It was first lit on 1 October 1847, fuelled by natural gas from one of the local coal mines. The main light was visible for 18 miles out to sea. The old light's demise came about as an indirect result of the German raid on Hartlepool in December 1914. The lighthouse itself was unscathed (though several nearby buildings received severe damage), but it was realised that the tower obstructed the line of"
"There are over 500 road features attached to lamp posts linked together with festoon lighting. Strings of lights along the structure of buildings pick out landmarks in luminous detail – you can always make out the Blackpool Tower and the Pleasure Beach Blackpool rides in this way. Morecambe's Illuminations once highlighted the promenade with a ""spectacular wonderland of light"" in the resort's main park - Happy Mount Park. The lights ran from 1919 until 1996, famous faces such as Roger Moore and Noel Edmonds and even the towns most famous son and his companion, Morecambe and Wise were called upon"
"song from a production co-written with author Irvine Welsh and Vic Godard (Subway Sect) in 2002, later released as a four-song EP called """"Blackpool"""". A song called """"Blackpool Fool"""" appears on the Frank Sidebottom album A, B, C & D (1997). Franz Ferdinand's 2013 """"Love Illumination"""" single was originally called """"Blackpool Illuminati"""". Songs that mention Blackpool in the lyrics include """"Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier"""", the opening track of the Manic Street Preachers album ""Everything Must Go"", which contains the lyrics """"20ft high off Blackpool Promenade"""" amongst other references to Blackpool. The opening line of Soft Cell's 1982 """"Say Hello, Wave"
"Blackpool Electric Tramway Company Blackpool Electric Tramway Company operated a tramway service in Blackpool between 1885 and 1893. It was the first electric tramway in England. On 3 December 1884, Blackpool Corporation agreed to use Michael Holroyd Smith's conduit tramway and granted him a seven-year concession. The Blackpool Electric Tramway Company was formed in January 1885, and set up with capital of £30,000 (equivalent to £ in ). The first rail was laid in March and the first test runs were made on 29 June. The tramway was officially opened on 29 September 1885. The Chairman of the company was"
"North Pier was completed, rapidly becoming a centre of attraction for elite visitors. Central Pier was completed in 1868, with a theatre and a large open-air dance floor. The town expanded southward beyond what is today known as the Golden Mile, towards South Shore, and South Pier was completed in 1893, making Blackpool the only town in the United Kingdom with three piers. In 1878, the Winter Gardens complex opened, incorporating ten years later the Opera House, said to be the largest in Britain outside London. From the 1880s until the First World War, Blackpool was one of the regular"